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Analysis of spatial genetic variation reveals genetic divergence among populations of Primula veris associated to contrasting habitats
- Source :
- Scientific Reports, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2017), Scientific Reports
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Genetic divergence by environment is a process whereby selection causes the formation of gene flow barriers between populations adapting to contrasting environments and is often considered to be the onset of speciation. Nevertheless, the extent to which genetic differentiation by environment on small spatial scales can be detected by means of neutral markers is still subject to debate. Previous research on the perennial herb Primula veris has shown that plants from grassland and forest habitats showed pronounced differences in phenology and flower morphology, suggesting limited gene flow between habitats. To test this hypothesis, we sampled 33 populations of P. veris consisting of forest and grassland patches and used clustering techniques and network analyses to identify sets of populations that are more connected to each other than to other sets of populations and estimated the timing of divergence. Our results showed that spatial genetic variation had a significantly modular structure and consisted of four well-defined modules that almost perfectly coincided with habitat features. Genetic divergence was estimated to have occurred about 114 generations ago, coinciding with historic major changes in the landscape. Overall, these results illustrate how populations adapting to different environments become structured genetically within landscapes on small spatial scales.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine
Gene Flow
Science
Environment
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
complex mixtures
Grassland
Article
Gene flow
Divergence
Evolution, Molecular
03 medical and health sciences
10127 Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
Genetic variation
Ecosystem
Population Density
geography
1000 Multidisciplinary
Multidisciplinary
geography.geographical_feature_category
biology
Ecology
Phenology
fungi
Genetic Variation
Biodiversity
biology.organism_classification
Genetic divergence
Primula
030104 developmental biology
Genetics, Population
Habitat
Medicine
570 Life sciences
590 Animals (Zoology)
Microsatellite Repeats
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- German
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Scientific Reports, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2017), Scientific Reports
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....44c229695cc3452a86e2931320be5135